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Crossroads F rida y, M a y 2 2 , 2 0 2 6 | Vo lum e 23 N um b e r40 | $1.25 PER COPY ( plus ta x e s)
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BOYS AT PLAY
This week
DAR R E L L N E SBIT T / CR O SSR O ADS T H IS W E E K There are countless ways to keep children occupied after school, but for this group of young lads in Binscarth on Thursday, May 14, the approach for cultivating friendship and burning off steam involved jumping into a ditch on Russell Street, west of the school. Specialists say the hours right after school are prime time to get kids engaged in activities that interest and stimulate them.
Brush fire roars near St. Lazare RAC HEAL FLIN TO FT Cro ssro a d s This W e e k
A brush fire that broke out along the CN Rail corridor southeast of St. Lazare last Wednesday, May 13, sent multiple fire departments and an aerial crop duster racing to the valley, keeping them there until midnight. St. Lazare Fire Chief Owen Jessop said the call came in just before 6:00 p.m. on May 13.
“Once we got out there and got some eyes on it and got some boots on the ground, we realized it was big and spreading fast,” said Jessop. What started as a series of smaller spot fires along the tracks turned into something much larger, much faster. The culprit was the wind — strong gusts that had already been causing damage across the province that week. “With that wind, it intensified
real fast and started climbing the hills,” the fire chief said. The terrain made things even harder. The fire crept up steep valley hillsides that weren’t easy to reach on foot or by vehicle, and at one point a local farmer and his tractor were used to escort firefighters safely into the valley. Crews from the Birtle Fire Department were called in for backup. At its peak, Jessop estimated the fire covered between five and 10 acres.
ADULT MIXED
The real turning point came from above. A modified crop duster from Prairie Dusters, a dual-purpose plane capable of both agricultural work and aerial fire suppression, was brought in to attack the blaze from the air. Jessop was clear about what that meant for the outcome. “Absolutely priceless,” Jessop said. “I think we’d still be there today, if he didn’t come do that.” By midnight, the fire was under
control. No injuries or structural losses were reported. Across the region, fire bans have come and gone with the weather – imposed one week, lifted the next, then back again as the wind picks up and the ground dries out. The St. Lazare fire is not an isolated incident. Communities across the region have dealt with close calls throughout the season so far, including a significant grass fire near Miniota in recent weeks.
$
Golf Tournament Wednesday, June 3 | Shilo Country Club $60 per person, $75 with cart includes breakfast, lunch, and prizes!
Register at fusioncu.com
Registration deadline: MAY 27
or call Amber at 204.622.4511
10,000 -IN
HOLE
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